Franklin, MA is a location for COVID-19 Testing for Child Care

COVID-19 Testing for Child Care

Department of Early Education & Care (EEC) will be offering No-Cost COVID-19 drive-through testing for the child care community at locations across Massachusetts. Get Tested. Testing for COVID-19 is widely available in Massachusetts and critically important to preventing the spread.

 

For additional information on the testing process and requirements

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-testing-for-child-care

Franklin is a location for COVID-19 Testing for Child Care

Add MBTA bus drivers to the growing list of driver shortages

"THE MBTA is paring back service on 31 bus routes and the Mattapan trolley because it doesn’t have enough workers to provide the scheduled service.

Starting December 19, T officials said some service will be added on a handful of routes, but overall service levels during the winter will be declining by about 3 percent to reflect a large dropoff in the number of drivers available. The transit authority on Monday put out a call on Twitter for more drivers, saying 300 positions need to be filled. "

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/transportation/lacking-drivers-t-starts-paring-back-service/

Add MBTA bus drivers to the growing list of driver shortages

 

From pandemic to endemic: this is how we might get back to normal

"First, the bad news. With unpredictable outbreaks still occurring around the world, and variants like Omicron raising questions about the virus’s contagiousness, we are very much still in a pandemic.

The good news: while it’s difficult to predict the exact timing, most scientists agree that the Covid-19 pandemic will end and that the virus will become endemic. That means the virus will probably never be eliminated entirely, but as more people get vaccinated and become exposed to it, infections will eventually arise at a consistently low rate, and fewer people will become severely ill. An area where vaccination and booster rates are high will probably see endemicity sooner than a region with lower rates."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/05/covid-19-from-pandemic-to-endemic-this-is-how-we-might-get-back-to-normal

Illustration: Ulises Mendicutty/The Guardian

"Vaccines have already shown to be tremendously effective"

"The new coronavirus variant is a genuine cause for unease. Omicron appears to be highly transmissible, and it will most likely swamp the world in the months ahead. It is too early to know whether it will be more virulent than the delta variant or more evasive of vaccine immunity. But it is not too early to decide what to do about it. The tools to respond exist, if we will only be serious about wearing masks and getting vaccinated.

Even with the unknowns, vaccines work. They can protect against the delta variant raging everywhere. Boosters create a high level of immunity against delta and may help fend off omicron, too. The vaccines are a lifesaver to people who might otherwise die. Why hesitate to get vaccinated, refuse to wear a mask or deride mandates for both at this stage of the pandemic? Why is a quarter of the U.S. population without at least one vaccine dose — essentially driving at high speed without a seat belt? How many more of the unvaccinated will be hospitalized, intubated and die? Anyone in the United States who can easily get a free vaccine and refuses to do so is leaving themselves vulnerable to a killer disease that has already taken more lives than were lost in the line of duty during the Civil War. "

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/04/covid-19-life-threatening-vaccines-tests-masks-work/

A covid-19 testing site is seen in Times Square in New York on Dec. 3. (Yuki Iwamura/AP)

MA city/town COVID-19 daily new cases - Nov 27, 2021

This Flourish view of COVID-19 data for the CommonWealth of MA is interactive so you can select and compare one or more communities to the State or each other. I set up a comparison of Franklin to the State level shown in the photo capture shown here.

This is not a good turn to the data. Let's be careful...

Thanks to Nathan Ahlgren for this tool -> https://app.flourish.studio/visualisation/4817758/?s=03

Updated in response to some questions via Facebook

A chart with the age group distribution for each week's reports since Sep 2021 (.jpg shown, PDF linked)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ay5ir3TKkCgT0F8B5fBqGnuaQOo3nNYu/view?usp=sharing

MA city/town COVID-19 daily new cases

Recap: School Committee hears update on MCAS results; votes to implement optional mask for vaccinated students; votes on MOU for FEA

Quick Recap:

• MCAS performance declined during the pandemic, work ongoing to meet students where they are and bring them to the level appropriate for them
• Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion job description approved. The position will be posted and anticipated to be hired for approx. March 2021 or July 2021 depending upon potential candidate and timing
• Optional mask for FHS vaccinated students/faculty approval received from DESE (one of 11 districts thus far), plan for implementation approved by 4-3 vote; most voting against seemed to be looking to delay start until Jan 2022
• Open Meeting Complaint acknowledged but no action required. Complainer alleged violation but meeting had been gaveled to a break and then returned to open meeting after the disturbance was resolved (my twitter notes acknowledged such a comment from a Zoom participant during the meeting in question)
• Entered Executive Session and returned to ratify the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Franklin Education Association (FEA) by 7-0 roll call vote and close the meeting

 
-------
 
As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter while I attended the meeting in the Council Chambers. 
 
The Twitter hashtag #schcom1123 can be found online The thread begins with  

 https://twitter.com/FranklinMatters/status/1463296814686294016

Photos captured during the meeting can be found in one album ->

https://photos.app.goo.gl/H3Hjwh8VK1tmddqR9

 

• Meeting packet folder ->  https://franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/november-23-2021-school-committee-meeting-packet…  Meeting agenda doc ->  https://franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/scagenda_11-23-21.pdf…   #schcom1123

Superintendent's report

• no citizen comments this evening, next to Supt report, Mamma Mia was well done! kudos to the cast, crew, etc.  #schcom1123;  Congrats to fall athletic teams; football Thanksgiving vs. KP; robotics did well at WPI in soccer championship there
• parent teacher conf happened recently; more in person at elem, more remote at middle, even more at FHS; 2nd round for elementary in March; acknowledge Critical Conversations event last Thursday - thanks to those participating #schcom1123
• slides and resources to be shared soon, will share once available - #schcom1123 approx. 80 between online and in person. role of student representatives - per state law, ex officio and no voting; generally FHS students are student class officers
• lucky to have the SAFE resource here in the community; #schcom1123 DESE offering some funding via grant for hate crime work, apps due 12/8

MCAS presentation

• next up, MCAS presentation - doc shared earlier, putting it in context as this is not a 'normal' report  https://drive.google.com/file/d/19XOmQtVz2_MPrymgtUgQkIclhH3xgqMy/view?usp=sharing…  #schcom1123
• internet apparently went out, still live via Franklin TV - should be back soon; meeting continues #schcom1123
• student growth metric (SGP) is a concern; esp. in Gr 10 math where Franklin was lower than State (altho DESE says difference is insignificant) #schcom1123
• "recording in progress" announcement says the system is back #schcom1123 areas of strength slide high participation rate (i.e. 95 to 100%) vs about 90% at state
• areas for growth slide - achievement gaps being addressed, esp across all the high needs students #schcom1123 Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) an assessment system being used to help drive approach to meet needs of students
• NWEA assessment tool piloted last spring, implemented in the fall for grades K-8  #schcom1123 working to ensure educators have the same base of understanding on the assessments and resources, tools
• round of #schcom1123 member questions, comments; interested to see next years results - while participation was high, it was a decline from prior years; MAP = measurement of academic progress, learning math remotely was difficult, lack of manipulatives, etc.
• Dr. Tina Rogers and Dr. Linda Ashley - first time before committee in roles created after Dr Edwards retired; the positions were budget neutral; Stokes acknowledging their working together as apparently evident in this presentation and collaboration #schcom1123
• can you further expand on 'scaffolding'? gradual approach to support during the learning process at each grade level with the curriculum #schcom1123 just in time, providing support so they don't get stuck

Discussion/Action items

• moving to Discussion/Action items - A. Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Job Description - "I recommend approval of the new position of Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as discussed.  https://franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/discussion_action_a_-_new_position_dei.pdf… #schcom1123
• job description approval allows for start of search, possible start for Mar 2022 altho may not be able to fulfill until Jul depending upon field, requirements, and candidate commitments #schcom1123
• some of the work of the individual would be addressing individual equity actions, or policy changes within district, or perhaps recommendations for #schcom1123 action; restorative process is already in place and developing, would assist with this as well
• motion and seconded, after discussion vote -> 7- 0 for  #schcom1123
• next up mask proposal for FHS, numbers verified by vaccination records; #schcom1123 FHS has 35% of the district population, had 10 cases year to date; not socially distanced in some cases, nor masked in others; unvaccinated students are still req'd to wear masks
• there are methods and stats to go back to masks if req'd #schcom1123 1 - attestation from parent/guardian, 2 - child is permitted to remove, 3 - permission granted to share info with faculty/staff; mask wearing does not indicate vaccine status; compliance through …
• progressive approach; in Hopkinton, about 40% still work masks in their implementation period; #schcom1123
• B. Proposal for Optional Mask Wearing by Vaccinated Students/Staff at FHS related to Policy EBCFA Face Coverings I recommend approval of the proposal for optional mask wearing by vaccinated students/staff at FHS as discussed.   https://franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/discussion_action_b_-_mask_proposal.pdf…  #schcom1123
• no plans currently for pool testing; only 26% participated last time; not enough to be effective for the work required to process; #schcom1123 positivity reported on Thur evening, could turn a pause on by Monday; Mr Hanna provides input on FHS 'feeling' …
• comfortable with option based upon choice; Supt - mask compliance has wanned during the year; hard to enforce when it is so spread; #schcom1123 need to take care and be kind across the board
• on compliance for those needing masks for those non-vaccinated; varies by case, starts with conversation; in a private setting; in rare case when the convo and call home didn't resolve, then escalation needed #schcom1123
• there has been an uptick but not yet seen at FHS, #schcom1123 could consider postponing start until Jan 22 to get by holidays
• only 11 districts with this type of waiver, comms among the 11 on what to do how to, etc. underway, Hopkinton was first and they have provided info; #schcom1123 DESE doesn't yet include boosters as part of the calc; may come on later (due to timing)
• boosters only or 18+, hence not much part of the FHS students population; CDC hasn't changed definition of vaccinated yet either #schcom1123 data would be input into the system, and appear in faculty student lists and info
• expressing concern on teachers taking on the added burden of mask enforcement; would be more comfortable with this after the holiday; students are traveling everywhere; #schcom1123
• suggestion that trial period and policy start could get postponed if uptick continues; another leaning toward postponing to Jan 22; Hanna jumps into to advocate no pause on behalf of the students #schcom1123 we'll do what is asked of us
• it could set us up in a confusing place; when there are too many changes, it is harder to keep the moment going #schcom1123 via roll call passes 4-3 (Bernstein, Charles, Whitmore voted no; Callaghan, McNeill, Spencer and Stokes voted yes)

Open Meeting Law Complaint Response

• moving to discussion only items: Open Meeting Law Complaint Response - Ms. Denise Spencer - there is no transcript due to break in the meeting; hence no further action needed or required, copy sent to complainer, and to Attny General #schcom1123

new business

• new business - workshop on finances; lifelong learning update; #schcom1123 

Consent agenda

• Consent agenda - I recommend approval (see listing) https://franklinmatters.org/2021/11/franklin-ma-school-committee-meeting_01900743034.html…  motion, seconded, motion amended to remove transfers from the action - approved 7-0

Executive Session and return to open

• motion to enter executive session, and to return in Open Session.  approved 7-0  #schcom1123
• meeting re-opens at 9:56 PM - motion and second to ratify the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Franklin Education Association (FEA); passed via roll call vote 7-0. No details on memo provided. Motion to adjourn, seconded, passed via roll call 7-0

Audio recording of meeting to be available in couple of days

Recap: School Committee hears update on MCAS results; votes to implement optional mask for vaccinated students; votes on MOU for FEA

Boston Globe: "When can the COVID-19 masks finally come off?"

"Amid the turmoil of the past two years — a period that included a deadly pandemic, mass layoffs, an ugly presidential election and an attack on the U.S. Capitol — some of the fiercest political debates in America have been waged over a nearly weightless piece of fabric: the face mask.

U.S. officials were slow to embrace face masks as a strategy for slowing the spread of the coronavirus. When they finally did, masks became a potent symbol of the pandemic — a common-sense public health measure turned political flashpoint and a visible reminder that life was anything but normal.

Now, with the summer’s delta surge in the rearview mirror and the vaccination of school-age children underway, many Americans are wondering when the masks might finally come off."

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/11/20/nation/when-can-covid-19-masks-finally-come-off/

Boston Globe: "When can the COVID-19 masks finally come off?"

"COVID-19 cases are rising sharply in Mass. ahead of the holidays"

"With COVID-19 cases spiking in Massachusetts as Thanksgiving and other holidays approach, experts are urging people to stay vigilant and take steps to protect themselves and others, including measures such as rapid testing, masking, and limiting who can attend gatherings.

“I think we have to be very cautious. We have to be very mindful. We can’t go into the holidays pretending that COVID is behind us. Unfortunately, it’s still very much with us,” said Dr. Philip Landrigan, director of the Global Public Health Program at Boston College.

“We should be aware and cautious,” said Dr. Shira Doron, an infectious disease physician who is the hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center. “You should know there is more risk out there. You should know you need to be stepping up your game in terms of taking the precautions that are important to you.”

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/11/19/nation/covid-19-cases-are-rising-sharply-mass-ahead-holidays-how-worried-should-you-be/

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/03/10/nation/latest-coronavirus-numbers-massachusetts/

The Guardian: "COVID cases are surging in Europe. America is in denial about what lies in store for it"

"It’s deja vu, yet again. The pandemic first hit Europe in March 2020, and Americans were in denial, thinking it wouldn’t happen here. Then, later in the year, the Alpha variant wave took hold in the United Kingdom and the United States was unprepared. This recurred with Delta in the summer of 2021. 

Now, in the fall of 2021, Europe is the outlier continent on the rise with COVID, with approximately 350 cases per 100,000 people and many countries are soaring to new records. This not only involves eastern and central Europe, where there are some countries with low vaccination rates (such as Georgia, only 24% fully vaccinated) and caseloads as high as 160/100,000 (Slovenia), but also western Europe, such as Austria, Belgium, Ireland and several others. 

Indeed, in Germany, leading virologist Christian Drosten recently warned their death toll could be doubled if more aggressive mitigation and vaccination strategies were not quickly adopted.

.... 

We are already seeing signs that the US is destined to succumb to more COVID spread, with more than three weeks sitting at a plateau of ~75,000 new cases per day, now there’s been a 10% rise in the past week. We are miles from any semblance of COVID containment, facing winter and the increased reliance of being indoors with inadequate ventilation and air filtration, along with the imminent holiday gatherings."

Continue reading the article online (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/12/covid-cases-surging-europe-america-denial

MA COVID-19 deaths in 2021 are rising again 

‘The pandemic is not over’

"Massachusetts coronavirus case numbers have lurched upward in recent days, in a worrisome development that experts say underlines the need for people to get vaccinated and to take precautions such as wearing masks in indoor public spaces.

Case numbers began rising from rock-bottom levels in early July, hit a peak in mid-September, and then declined until early this month. But in the past week or so, they began to rise again. The seven-day average of reported cases was 1,182 on Nov. 3. A week later, as of Nov. 10, it had jumped to 1,481. "

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/11/11/nation/mass-covid-19-cases-rise-sending-worrisome-signal/

Chart compiled from data provided at MA.gov ->  https://www.mass.gov/info-details/archive-of-covid-19-cases-in-massachusetts#october-2021-

 

‘The pandemic is not over’

"Could long COVID unlock clues to chronic fatigue and other poorly understood conditions?"

Via The Washington Post: 

"In early 2020, Alison Sbrana watched the coronavirus skip from China across continents with a sense of impending doom. Sbrana, plagued by fatigue and brain fog since being diagnosed with mononucleosis six years earlier, was convinced that the pernicious new virus would wreak similar havoc in some of those who contracted it.

Her intuition proved prescient. Some people who had suffered even mild cases of covid-19 began complaining of problems that Sbrana knew too well, including muscle pain and drop-dead exhaustion. Now, as millions of people nationwide are suffering from long-haul COVID, Sbrana and an army of patient advocates are cautiously hopeful that new research may unlock clues to other conditions that appear to crop up after infections, including myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, known as ME/CFS.

“I think there is potential,” said Sbrana, who suffers from ME/CFS.

COVID long-haulers inherited many of the challenges that have faced people like Sbrana for years, including a lack of understanding of the mechanisms that triggered their disabilities — leaving some doctors to view their symptoms as largely psychosomatic."

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/11/07/long-covid-fatigue-research/

Alison Sbrana, who struggles with fatigue and brain fog after having mono several years ago, sits on a screened-in patio at her home in Fort Collins, Colo., on Nov. 3. (Stephen Speranza/for The Washington Post)

Washington Post: "We’re losing ground against diseases we’ve already defeated"

"As we race to build global immunity against covid-19, we’re losing ground against diseases we’ve already defeated. There are two reasons for this: growing vaccine hesitancy as a result of the politicization of coronavirus vaccines, and the disruption of routine childhood inoculation.

We cannot let this persist. Health officials — and the public at large — must shore up our defenses against all diseases and keep routine childhood vaccination requirements from becoming enmeshed in our growing ideological divide.

All vaccines work in two ways: First, they build immune memory to help protect against infectious diseases and reduce our ability to transmit them. Second, they reduce the chance we come across anyone else with the disease through the same mechanism (particularly important for vulnerable people, such as the elderly or immunocompromised). That means vaccines work best when they have high rates of population uptake."

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/11/07/were-losing-ground-against-diseases-weve-already-defeated/

A measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is seen t a pediatrics clinic in Greenbrae, Calif., in February 2015. (Eric Risberg/AP)

Endemic? Srsly? The end is nigh – umm, or not. (Wait! What?)

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director, Franklin●TV & wfpr●fm 11/07/2021

There’s a new word in town. Endemic. What does that mean? The not so great news is that science – and the more astute among us – are coming to grips with the notion that COVID-19 is the guest that just won’t leave. We now know how this ends. Truth? It doesn’t. It lingers. It simmers. We won’t get to achieve (and celebrate) true herd immunity after all. The virus – and its variants yet to be – will be perniciously permanent.

However, with vaccines and follow–up treatments available, not every COVID-19 case is created equal. Breakthrough cases are much milder; 10,000 vaccinated cases cause a tiny fraction of hospitalizations and deaths vs 10,000 unvaccinated cases. With endemicity—when nearly everyone has baseline immunity from either infection or vaccination—the U.S. could still be facing tens of millions of infections from COVID-19 every year, thanks to waning immunity and viral evolution.

For context, the endemic flu sickens 10 to 40 million a year, and through science we mitigate its impact. The 1918 flu killed 800,000 in 2 years among 100 million Americans. COVID-19 will likely claim a similar number among 360 million of us. The 1918 flu was almost 4 times more deadly. The infected turned purple from oxygen starvation; dying within a day. Yet, then as now, masks were an issue of heated debate.

So, what’s the callous money play here? Bet on science. That’s what the stock market is doing. It’s telling us that the virus is here to stay, and mitigation will become a matter of ongoing personal vigilance. Our annual flu shot might include COVID-19. Conversely, COVID-19 treatments in capsule form might also be developed for the flu.  The war on vaccines is a false flag. Please vaccinate. It’s science. It’s safe. It’s the smart play.

And –  as always –
Thank you for listening to wfpr●fm. 
And, thank you for watching. 

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf  or for archive purposes  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QqxTIq1lsCl0jTUL13dJ5vTU3nbS-gno/view?usp=sharing

Check out the endemic entry on wikipedia and find link to the other related terms. Let's hope we don't get to a state of "syndemic"  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemic_(epidemiology)

Endemic? Srsly?  The end is nigh – umm, or not.  (Wait! What?)

MASC School Committee group views video from @TeamProject351 on student experiences during pandemic

MASC-SchoolCommittee (@MASCSchoolComm) tweeted Fri, Nov 05, 2021:

Today's #MASCMASS21 general session on student voice opened with a new video featuring #MAEdu high school students describing their experiences living and learning through the pandemic.

Thank you @TeamProject351 & @UpperCapeTech!

Video => https://t.co/GzuEwqGtrg  or https://youtu.be/Y7UAG2FIhDM

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/MASCSchoolComm/status/1456626353906782214

Mass Senate Releases American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Spending Bill

 

Senate Ways and Means Releases American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Spending Bill

Bill's focus is on transformational investments in public health, housing,
mental and behavioral health, and the environment 

Today (11/03/2021), the Senate Committee on Ways and Means announced a $3.66 billion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) spending bill to address COVID-19 recovery needs and build an equitable future for the Commonwealth. The Senate Ways and Means ARPA bill reflects the shared priorities of the Senate and recommends several thoughtfully targeted investments in health care, housing, environment, economic recovery and workforce development, while addressing economic and racial inequality and helping the communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"With careful planning, resourcefulness and compassion, the Massachusetts State Senate has played a central role in navigating our state through the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "At this critical juncture, we must not lose sight of the big picture. We need to address immediate and critical needs in  mental health care access, food security, the struggles of small businesses and access to housing. We must also continue to build up and support our public health system, including by investing in our local boards of health. The plan put forward by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means today will use funding from the American Rescue Plan to not only build resiliency in these crisis areas, but will also set our Commonwealth on the path towards an equitable recovery. I thank President Biden and the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation for their work to pass the American Rescue Plan Act at the federal level, and I thank Senator Rodrigues, my colleagues in the Senate, the members and staff of the Committee on Ways and Means, and the many members of the public who provided input to help us help the people of the Commonwealth get back to better." 

"As we strive to build a post-pandemic future for our Commonwealth, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means proposal to invest American Rescue Plan Act funds represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fuel an equitable recovery and lift up communities most disproportionately impacted by the pandemic," said State Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. "Reflecting the shared priorities of the respective Senate membership, the Committee's bill released today makes clear that we heard the clarion call for smart, game-changing investments in mental health, public health, workforce development, affordable housing, and so much more, ensuring those hit the hardest by COVID-19—families, essential workers and small businesses—are being helped the most. I want to thank Senate President Spilka for her leadership and continued friendship, Vice-Chair Friedman, Assistant Vice-Chair Lewis and members of the Committee for their continued advocacy, and our partners in the House, especially Chair Michlewitz for his continued commitment to ensuring we chart a more equitable path forward, while also keeping an eye on the fiscal health of our state."  

"The lack of access to quality and timely behavioral health care has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. "This bill—with its historic-level of investment in our behavioral health system—takes real and immediate action to begin addressing the critical workforce issues facing the behavioral health and human services sector. The opportunity to add close to 2,000 workers to these sectors will have a profound impact for our residents and reaffirms the Senate's commitment to expanding access to much needed mental health services, especially in communities most impacted by the pandemic. I applaud Senate President Spilka and Chair Rodrigues for their leadership and using this unique opportunity to take meaningful action to address these persistent issues." 

"Thanks to President Biden and congressional Democrats who passed the American Rescue Plan Act earlier this year, Massachusetts is seizing a momentous opportunity to invest in a strong and equitable pandemic recovery" said Senator Jason Lewis (D-Winchester), Assistant Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. "I'm very grateful for the extensive and constructive input from a wide variety of stakeholder groups and members of the public who helped the Senate craft legislation that clearly reflects the needs and priorities of communities across the Commonwealth, especially those hardest hit by the pandemic." 

"The Senate's ARPA spending plan presents many exciting, much-needed, and once-in-a-generation opportunities for the stabilization and growth of our Commonwealth," said Senator Patrick O'Connor (R-Weymouth), Ranking Minority Member of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. "I am grateful to Chair Rodrigues and Senate President Spilka for proposing meaningful investments in the most high-needs areas, such as public health infrastructure, small business relief, and workforce development. After mindful planning and consideration, I believe we are fully prepared to release these federal dollars across Massachusetts in the most pragmatic and helpful way possible. I look forward to the upcoming deliberations with our Senate colleagues to fully realize the potential of this opportunity." 

The Senate ARPA spending bill recommends a total of $3.66 billion in spending, utilizing up to $2.5 billion in available American Rescue Plan Act funds and up to $1.45 billion in available Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 state surplus resources. Informed by the testimony heard extensively throughout the public hearing process, which included over 25 hours of public hearings and more than 450 letters of public testimony, the Committee's ARPA spending bill supports an equitable recovery for communities hardest hit by the pandemic, while maintaining the flexibility necessary to take advantage of future federal funding opportunities.  

The ARPA spending plan helps families, vulnerable populations, and communities historically underserved, investing more than $1 billion to support the state's health care system and confront the long-term impacts of COVID-19. Understanding the toll the COVID-19 pandemic has taken, the Committee's bill proposes to invest $400 million in mental and behavioral health supports, including over $122 million to address immediate workforce needs. Additionally, the Senate's plan revolutionizes the state's local and regional public health infrastructure and makes an historic investment of $250.9 million to ensure the Commonwealth can protect the public health of residents, workers, and businesses for years to come. 

Health care investments include: 

• $400 million to support the behavioral health sector, including over $122 million to expand loan repayment programs for behavioral health professionals, including substance use disorder professionals, and meet the increasing need to retain and build our workforce. This investment is expected to help recruit and retain nearly 2,000 mental health professionals across the continuum of care. 
• $300 million for the Home and Community-Based Services Federal Investment Fund to address workforce needs for those caring for some of our most vulnerable populations. 
• $250.9 million to revolutionize local and regional public health and provide equitable access to high quality protections for all Massachusetts residents, including $118.4 million for public health infrastructure and data sharing upgrades, and $95 million for directs grants to local boards of health to maintain ready-level response to future public health threats. 
• $200 million for acute hospitals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• $55 million to support a robust and diverse human service workforce through recruitment, retention, and loan forgiveness programming. 
• $60 million for food security infrastructure grants to continue combatting hunger, 
• $50 million for nursing facilities, including $25 million for capital support, to increase the quality of patient care and $25 million for workforce initiatives. 
• $25 million for a grant program for community violence prevention and re-entry organizations, focused on communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Charting a post-pandemic future, the Senate's ARPA spending plan invests $1.7 billion to fuel an equitable economic recovery for all by supporting workers, businesses and communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Committee's bill dedicates $500 million towards premium pay bonuses for essential workers, providing much needed relief to the workforce who served on the front lines during the pandemic.  

Economic recovery and workforce development investments include: 

• $500 million for premium pay bonuses for essential frontline workers who worked during the height of the pandemic. 
• $500 million for the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, providing necessary relief to small business. 
• $100 million for vocational school infrastructure and capacity building needs. 
• $75 million for the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund to support organizations working with people displaced from jobs during the pandemic, historically underserved populations, and individuals reentering their communities from the corrections system. 
• $75 million for equitable and affordable broadband access and infrastructure improvements to close the digital divide. 
• $75 million for Mass Cultural Council grants to support our cultural sector. 
• $50 million for direct grants to minority-owned small businesses. 
• $30 million for regional high-demand workforce training at community colleges. 
• $25 million for the expansion of Career Technical Institutes. 
• $20 for workforce development and capital assistance grants to the Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs and the Alliance of Massachusetts YMCAs. 
• $15 million to enhance and diversify our cybersecurity sector with partnerships between public higher education institutions and private businesses. 
• $12 million for the resettlement of Afghani evacuees. 
• $8 million for agricultural economy supports.  

The bill also provides close to $200 million tax relief for small-business owners who would have otherwise been required to pay personal income taxes on state or federal relief money. 

The spending plan acknowledges the critical role that housing plays in economic recovery. Over a year and a half into the pandemic, access to stable and affordable housing remains at the forefront of  the state's strategy to ensure economic security for those who call the Commonwealth home. Reflecting the Senate's long-standing commitment, the Committee's ARPA spending bill allocates $600 million for investments in affordable, accessible housing, as well as supportive housing. 

Housing investments include: 

• $150 million for supportive housing, including $75 million for the chronically homeless population. 
• $150 million for public housing authorities to maintain and upgrade existing infrastructure. 
• $125 million for the Commonwealth Builders Program to support housing production and promote homeownership among residents of disproportionately impacted communities. 
• $125 million for affordable rental housing production for the workforce.  
• $50 million for homeownership assistance tools, including down payment assistance and mortgage interest subsidy supports.  

In addition to making investments to support an equitable recovery that lifts hardest hit communities, the Senate bill prioritizes building a more resilient Commonwealth and ensuring a healthier environment for all. To that end, the Committee's bill invests $450 million to combat climate change through mitigation initiatives, strengthen environmental infrastructure, fix aging water infrastructure, and modernize marine port infrastructure to support the state's emerging offshore wind industry. 

 

Environment and climate investments include: 

• $175 million for water and sewer infrastructure investments through the Clean Water Trust.  
• $125 million for environmental infrastructure grants, including the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program. 
• $100 million for marine port infrastructure investments focused on the promotion of offshore wind development. 
• $20 million for Greening the Gateway Cities program to support tree planting. 
• $15 million for parks and recreational assets. 
• $10 million for clean energy retrofitting in affordable housing units. 
• $5 million for the advancement of geothermal technologies. 

Finally, to support communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and prioritize historically underserved or marginalized populations, the Committee's bill establishes a federal funds equity and accountability review panel to track in near real-time the amount and percentage of ARPA funds spent in these communities and awarded to minority and women business enterprises. Additionally, the bill also requires state agencies and authorities to promulgate rules or regulations to ensure the fair participation of minority and women-owned business enterprises.  

 

Senators can file amendments to the Senate Ways and Means recommendations until Friday, November 5. The full Senate will then debate the ARPA spending bill in formal session beginning Wednesday, November 10.   

Video link: Massachusetts State Senate Releases ARPA Investment Proposal - YouTube